Tag: travel
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The Mystique of Lundy’s Unique Landscape
Small Islands across the globe have long held a mystique, sometimes becoming sites of religious, spiritual or supernatural exception. Johnson, H., (2024) I read an article by Henry Johnson (2024) about religious or spiritual places. It made me think about how Lundy doesn’t show itself as a spiritual place. It doesn’t announce itself in the…
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Lundy – A home from a distance
At the moment, I’m on the mainland, in my house on the North Devon coast. It feels odd looking out towards Lundy as from here it’s just a rock out at sea. It is strange as it does not feel like an island I live on! When I am at home on the mainland, I…
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A Walk Through Lundy’s Historic Quarries and a link to Portland, Dorset.
On Summer days, when the sun sits high and clean above Lundy, the island glows. The granite shines, Mica and Feldspar glinting black and white. It is the quality of this granite that led to the creation of the Lundy Granite Company in 1863. Although there is little sun today at the end of November.…
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How Wind Shapes Life on Lundy
A North Easterly wind has been blowing over the island this week. It feels that winter has most definitely arrived. The wind here isn’t like wind on the mainland, it feels more dramatic, feeling like a force you negotiate with. In my last blog post, I wrote of fog and how it can bring the…
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Exploring Lundy’s Mystical Fog Experiences
I’ve been reading Matt Gaw’s thoughts on fog in his book ‘In All Weathers’. Ironically, this happened just as fog settled over Lundy! It made me think about my own encounters with fog on the island and how fog shapes life here. Walking in fog When fog descends on Lundy, it can be the type…
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Wintering into October and November
Settling Back into Island Life Coming back to Lundy from Portugal was a shock. Suddenly I was back on this small island in the Bristol Channel. The clocks had changed, and it was dark even when I set off for my evening shift. I felt like I was buckling down for winter. The first few…
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Olive Harvesting in Portugal: A Fun Experience
This year, our trip to Portugal coincided with the olive harvest. All around the villages, you could see and hear people gathering their olives. Not having a clue about olive harvesting, we were keen to offer help to our friend Mark, who was in the throes of harvest. Mark speaks Portuguese and, as such, had…
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Exploring Bell Ringing on Lundy Island
If you don’t know Lundy, you may be surprised to learn that we get regular groups of bell ringers staying on the island. During these times, the bells of St Helen’s Church ring out across the landscape. Built in 1896, St Helen’s houses ten bells in its tower, creating a wonderful bell-ringing experience. The bell-ringing…
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Exploring The Saints Way: A Pilgrimage in Cornwall
A pilgrimage along the Saints way from Padstow to Fowey.
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At the Edge of the World: Lundy and Finisterre
Sitting on the West Coast of Lundy, I often feel I am at the edge of the world. The horizon is wide, the Atlantic rolls out before me in shifting shades of blue, depending on the light. Here on the cliffs’ edgelands, I try to find an escape from an easterly wind. With the sound…
Jane Sharkey 